The Pirates have lost 10 straight games with their latest defeat–an 8-2 beatdown–coming at the hands of the Padres at Petco Park on Wednesday afternoon.

To give you an idea of how bad the Buccos have been lately, the White Sox, who have the worst record in Major League Baseball at 29-93, have only lost eight of their last 10.

Pittsburgh should be so lucky.

Not only have the Pirates dropped 10 straight, but they’ve lost 12 of 13 since the day after the July 30 trade deadline. They say the trajectory of a contending team’s season can change at the deadline, and they (whoever they are) were right about the 2024 Pittsburgh Pirates.

Anyway, I remember the hope and optimism that enveloped the 55-52 Buccos on the morning of July 31, 2024. I know what you might be thinking: “That was only about two weeks ago, you dramatic dolt!” Yes, but that now seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it? Just days after adding reliever Jalen Beeks from the Rockies, general manager Ben Cherington pleased almost everyone when he acquired Marlins outfielder Bryan De La Cruz and Blue Jays utility infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa at the deadline. There was the matter of trading away Martin Perez, a veteran pitcher Cherington signed for $8 million in the offseason. This move felt like a salary offset with Kiner-Falefa and a good bit of his two-year, $15 million contract coming to town. But nobody cared at the time. That was shrewd, right?

With all that in mind, let me take you back to the evening of July 31, 2024. It was a Wednesday, and I was still at work. The Buccos were taking on the Astros down in Houston and looking to complete a three-game sweep.

I drive for work, and I don’t always listen to live sporting events when I do so (it can often be stressful and annoying). Thankfully, I have friends and family who are always more than willing to keep me up-to-date on things thanks to never-ending text messages.

Join me, as I share with you the beginning of the end of the 2024 Buccos season, thanks to the help of my brother and bowling buddies.

First text I got was from my brother at 8:34 p.m. EST:

“2-0 buccos Bart with a long home run! all he’s done is hit since we got him TJ. He’s tough!”

My brother was referring to Joey Bart, a catcher who the Giants once selected second overall in the MLB Draft. He fell on hard times before seemingly rejuvenating his career after being traded to Pittsburgh this season. Oh yeah, and TJ (T.J.) is something my family and long-time friends have called me since I was a little kid. Oh, and my brother likes to call me by my first name in text messages all the time even though that’s stupid.

Moving on to more texts from my brother:

“Make it 3-0! 👌” That one was at 8:35 p.m. EST.

“4-0 🤣let’s go!!” That was two minutes later.

“And this Valdez is a stud pitcher this year 😲. this makes it all the more impressive.”

That was at 8:39 p.m. EST.  At 8:54 p.m. EST, my brother texted this:

“Woodford is pitching lol. Whoever the hell he is! but the Steelers are back in camp yet here we are with a possible BUCTOBER brewing this year 😲🤘💪”

Jake Woodford was the nobody pitcher my brother was referring to. Also, how cryptic was it for him to mention that the Steelers were just starting training camp? Everyone knows that the Pirates season almost always unofficially ends when the boys report to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.

Not sure why my brother was still hopeful, because four minutes earlier, at 8:50 p.m. EST, my bowling buddy texted this:

“Cruz becoming a straight up liability at short. The new Pedro Alvarez.”

At 8:51, my other bowling buddy texted this:

“Errors in like the last five.”

“The one that led to a run was a new low.”

“Routine throw to 1st and he throws it 8 feet wide.”

Those last two texts also came at 8:51, and they were from the first bowling buddy. My bowling buddy was referring to Oneil Cruz, the Pirates’ five-tool player who couldn’t seem to get any of his defensive tools to work that night in Houston.

The following text came from my first bowling buddy at 9 p.m. EST:

“Oh my goddddd.”

It was another error by Cruz.

The next text came at 9:02 p.m. EST:

“If they lose it’s 100% on him. 2 runs now directly because of him.”

The following text exchange between my two bowling buddies took place between 9:08 p.m. EST and 9:13 p.m. EST:

“I’m so annoyed right now man. Shelton should sit him down immediately and I guarantee he won’t.”

“He has 5 errors just this series.”

“I knew I remember five.”

“Didn’t realize it was in just three games.”

“Should be 4-0 and instead it’s 4-3. L incoming now 100%.”

Lot to unpack there, so I won’t, but needless to say, it was quite the roller coaster ride for me (literally) as I drove from my place of work, which is located a few miles from the Pittsburgh International Airport, to a delivery I was making out in the West Mifflin area.

Anyway…

“And it’s now 5-4 Houston. Thanks Cruz”

That last text came from the first bowling buddy at 9:52 p.m. EST. The Pirates were up 4-0 when this journey began and down by a score of 5-4 before I even made it back to the office to finish up for the evening.

5-4 would turn out to be the final score, as the Buccos failed to complete the sweep. No worries, though, right? The Pirates were a much better team on paper, and this would translate to an exciting finish to the 2024 campaign.

Wrong!

Very wrong.

The Pirates are now 56-64 and 12.5 games behind the first-place Brewers in the National League Central Division. They are also seven-and-a-half games back of the third wildcard spot.

Oh yeah, and you know who the winning pitcher was for the Padres on Wednesday? Martin Perez….

….Moving on. All the Pirates can probably hope for now is to get on a roll and finish at .500.

Probably not, though.

In conclusion, it’s not often you witness the demise of a team’s season via text message, but I did on the evening of July 31, 2024.

The end.

Literally.